What is your role at ILLUME?
I’m a Managing Consultant.
Where are you from and where do you live now?
I’m from the northern suburbs of Chicago, and now I live in Madison, Wisconsin.
Who or what inspires you in your work?
I love a good problem space. I like cutting to the core of the issues and finding a north star to orient around. I like seeing the tendrils of variables associated with a core dilemma or problem and how they all intersect. I’m also just fascinated by people and always have been. I like thinking about how our values, point of views, schema, etc. influence how we use and think about energy.
Do you have any pets?
I do! Her name is Ami (short for Amaterasu, a wolf-god in a video game. It is also a god in the Shinto religion, but I didn’t know that until after we named her). She is a stubby legged, wolf-looking, 25lb girl that we adopted from a shelter in China.
What are your favorite hobbies?
Powerlifting, water coloring, cooking, and video games.
What’s your favorite quote or motto?
Ron Swanson’s “never half-ass two things, when you can whole-ass one thing.” I believe in this principle wholeheartedly, especially in research. Focus on the core root of what matters, and do that really, really well.
What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
A cashier at a grocery store. So monotonous.
What is the best concert you ever attended?
Honestly, I have a love for seeing friends’ shows, so just little local things. My favorite is probably my friend Marcus’ band, Pet Symmetry. A fun pop-punk band from Chicago.
What is your superpower?
Reading between the lines.
If you could have chosen another career path, what would you be doing?
Either politics or a hobby farm, ha ha. Look up miniature Jersey cows. A-dorable.
